Thumped
by WaterlooRoadFanFiction
Summary: A Fisher Family fic. Karen and Charlie are still married and all is not as happy as people may think. Rob is working at Waterloo Road. Rated T due to themes of abuse throughout. Karen, Charlie, Rob, Jess, Bex, Harry. Written by @TashaH2109 on Twitter. xx
1. Chapter 1

This is the second WR fic I'm going to have on the go. I know that it's quite a depressing theme sorry. However I'm going to give it a go, Charlie and Karen are still together. However Rob is working at the school. R and R if you enjoy. Thanks for reading. Shoutouts to by proof readers. Laura, Nadia and Georgia. xx

**Thumped**

A headteacher, mother and wife. When Karen Fisher had been younger she wouldn't have believed that she would have wanted anything else. To the people on the outside looking in her life seemed complete. Yet she had her own secret. Things weren't quite as perfect as everyone else thought.

…

After a long day Karen turned the keys in her front door and walked inside. As she shut the door behind her she heard the noise of something smashing from the kitchen. She looked down at her watch. It was nearly seven and all of the kids were out. Should she walk straight back out again? She could go and meet the rest of the teachers in the pub. They would still be there relaxing after the hectic day they had all been through.

"Karen?" The sharp voice echoed around her and she found herself rooted to the floor. Her was screaming at her to walk back out but quite simply she couldn't. Instead she put down her bag, hung up her coat and walked towards the kitchen.

"I'm just coming." She took a deep breath. Maybe it would be different tonight? However as she saw the empty wine bottle on the side and the glass in his hand. She realised that she had been hoping for the impossible. From the corner of her eye she saw a broken cabinet door, the cause of the smash she had heard.

"So?" The word slurred as it came from his mouth.

Karen walked over and put the kettle on. "So what Charlie?" She didn't look at him. Instead getting a cup from the cupboard along with a teabag. There was a smash behind her that would no doubt have left the wine glass in pieces on the floor.

"SO? WHERE WERE YOU? SCHOOL FINISHED AT QUARTER PAST THREE AND YOU WALK IN THE DOOR AT SEVEN."

As he spoke Karen could hear the voice coming closer and closer towards her. She put both hands on the counter and took a deep breath. "I had to work Charlie. You know that the hours a teacher works aren't the same as school hours." As she finished speaking a hand slammed down on the counter next to her.

"Look at me Karen." There were nails digging into her shoulders and turning her around. She knew it was easier not to resist but even as she faced him she kept her eyes towards the ground. "I said look at me." He grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. Karen looked into the bloodshot eyes. "Now that wasn't hard was it?" He dropped her face knowing that she wouldn't look away.

"You've been drinking Charlie, you're angry and you need to calm down." Her eyes flicked to the clock. She didn't want the kids to come home to this.

"So what if I've been drinking? Don't try and tell me what to do Karen."

"Don't do this Charlie. I don't want the kids to come home to..."

"To what Karen? To what?" He pinned her arms before leaning forward and taking a deep sniff around her neck. In one movement he snapped his head back and slapped her clean across the face. She let out a cry. His ring had caught her face leaving a sharp scratch down her face. "Who is he you bitch? What's the name of the man you've been screwing?"

She looked at him. She didn't understand where it had come from. "Charlie I don't know what you mean. I'm not having an affair." She felt the tears start rolling down her face.

"Don't lie to me." Another slap came across her face. This one made her knees start to buckle and she had to reach for the kitchen counter.

"Charlie please." She looked up at him questioning the unprovoked anger. She saw the wine bottle on the side. There was no question in her mind that Charlie was no longer the man she had married and loved. She could no longer predict his actions or behaviour.

"Please what Karen? Don't try and turn this on me. You're the one having an affair!" He reached past her and put the kettle on.

"I'm not having an affair." She tried to step forward and away from him, but there wasn't anywhere to go and Charlie still had her pinned against the counter. "I'll teach you Karen. I'll teach you." He had hold of her arm and putting his weight against her held her arm over the spout of the nearly boiling kettle.

Karen winced as the steam started coming out. She couldn't move. "Charlie. Please, you're hurting me."

"Who is he Karen?" He pulled her arm closer towards the steam. The pain was getting worse and she couldn't think.

"There's no one else." Her quiet voice only just came over the boiling kettle. Finally he let her go and watched as she fell to the kitchen floor sobbing. She curled her knees round towards her chest. She didn't hear him leave or hear the kids come in. She didn't know what to say to them. She didn't know where Charlie was.

"Mum?" The voice rang around her. She tried to lift her head but it still felt heaving from the bruises that were forming. "Mum?" There were bodies crouched in front of her and arms around her neck. Slowly her eyes opened and the faces of her children came into her focus.

"I'm so sorry." She looked around at the three faces surrounding her. She knew that it must have been obvious that the relationship between her and Charlie had been getting worse, but this was a new step.

"Shh Mum. Come on, let's get you up." She heard Jess speaking close to her ear before she was being lifted up from the kitchen floor and guided towards her room. Jess and Bex got her into her nightclothes and into the bed. Karen struggled, she couldn't settle in the bed she normally shared with Charlie. So Jess, Bex and Harry climbed into the bed around her and eventually the four of them fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Jess stirred in the bed. For a moment she was confused about why she wasn't in her own room. However she quickly remembered what had happened the night before she looked around before sitting up. "Mum?" She could hear Bex and Harry moving around their rooms. It seemed that she was the last one up.

"Morning." Karen walked into the room fully dressed and drying her hair with an oversized towel. "Hadn't you better start getting ready for school? You don't want to be late." Even with makeup on you could still make out Karen's swollen face. The burn on her arm was bandaged, while her physical wounds were starting to mend it was quite obvious in her eyes that mentally she was still a lot more damaged.

"You mean that you're still going in?" Jess was amazed that the woman in front of her was the same one who had been put to bed by her children the night before.

"Of course I'm going in Jess. Why wouldn't I?" She saw down at her dressing table and finished with the towel before getting out her hair dryer and plugging it into the socket. "Now hurry up and get ready and I'll be able to give you a lift in."

Jess got up out the bed and watched as her Mum started using the hair dryer. She couldn't believe that she was going to act as though nothing had happened. She had assumed that her Dad hadn't come home, but he was booked in to some supply work at the school, there was no way that her Mum was going to be able to avoid him for the whole day. She walked back into her room and started getting ready as her Mum had asked.

…

No one spoke around the breakfast table. None of them could stop glancing towards Karen's face. She had decided that she wouldn't draw any attention to her face. If anyone asked then she tripped into the door frame, and the burn on her arm was covered by her top. All of the kids had sat listening and nodded at her idea. None of them really believed that anyone would believe the excuse. Neither did any of them know where there Dad had stayed or what it would be like at home when they were all back. Jess was the first one to speak, she had been sat quietly watching her Mum and not being able to take her eyes from her Mum's face. "What are you going to do Mum? What about when he comes back?" She looked at her Mum and knew that there were tears filling her eyes. As they all knew she wasn't someone who liked showing emotion, but she was scared.

"I don't know Jess...I really don't know." Karen reached across the table and put a hand on top of her daughters. "I'm really sorry kids..."

Bex was the next to speak. She looked at the Mum she had always respected for being so strong. They had all seen the relationship between their parents getting worse…and Charlie's drinking was becoming a more regular thing, but this was a whole new element. "If this was someone else you would be telling them to leave without thinking about it." She was blunt and she knew it, but it was true.

"It's not that simple Bex…" Karen looked at her older daughter. She hated to admit it but she knew that what she was saying was true. She would tell anyone else to leave without thinking about it. All through her life she had always maintained that if a man ever hit her then she would be out of the door with a second though, but now it was her in the situation it wasn't so simple. She didn't love Charlie any more, and she certainly didn't respect him…but she was scared of him. She didn't want to put her children in danger.

"I don't see why not." This time it was Harry who spoke. "We could pack up and be out of here by tonight. We wouldn't need to take everything…" He looked at him Mum. He felt as though he should be protecting her.

Karen shook her head. "We can't…I don't know where he is…and I can't just not turn up at school." She looked around her three children. "No, we all need to finish up here and go to school. I'll talk to your Dad and we'll get all this sorted, you'll see." She pushed her chair away from the table and took her dirty pots to the sink. "If you want lifts then I'm leaving in five minutes." She left the kitchen to collect her bag and final bits. The kids watched her go. None of them could quite believe what was happening.

"I don't get it…why does she let him…" Harry trailed off, he didn't want to finish the sentence. He looked to his sisters to answer the question, even though he knew that they couldn't. None of them understood the way Karen was acting.

"Maybe it's a one off." Bex spoke trying to be diplomatic. She didn't believe what she was saying, but it was obvious that there was nothing any of them could do to make any sense of it. "Let's just do as she said and try and forget about it today. Maybe they will just be able to talk it through." She too then left the table with her pots.

Jess sat watching. "You can't honestly believe that…" She looked after Bex who looked at her and shrugged. They all knew that Jess was always likely to speak her mind.

"There's nothing we can do Jess…" Bex didn't want her younger sister doing anything rash. She had a fiery temper and if she went storming in then the whole situation could become a hundred times worse. "Just promise you'll keep your head down Jess…we don't want to make this any worse for Mum right." Bex was trying to assert some authority of being the oldest sibling.

Jess looked at her and eventually nodded. She hated to admit it, but even she knew that storming in to confront their Dad wasn't going to do anyone the slight bit of good. Least of all their Mum, and she was after all their main priority.

"I'm leaving if you three want a lift." Karen's voice came through from the hall. Without saying another word the kids all cleared their things to the sink before getting their bags and coats and heading into the hall.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Karen pulled into the school and drove to the car parking space. Pulling the car into the space she looked around at the other teacher cars. Charlie's car wasn't there. She looked at the clock. It was still early, she wondered whether he would be coming in. She heard the back doors opening and watched the kids get out of the car. She watched them go but couldn't speak. For the first time that morning she felt herself reliving the night before. She could feel tears bubbling in her eyes. She blinked quickly to try and clear it.

"Mum?" Jess had stayed behind after the others. She was sat in the passenger seat next to her Mum. She knew that she shouldn't be here. Karen hadn't let on about any of her injuries. But they all knew that she must have been hurt. The make up on her face had taken off the worst…but the biggest question was about her arm. It was the beginning of June and Karen was wearing a thick long sleeved top. Jess reached out and touched her Mum's arm.

Karen pulled away and winced. "Just leave it Jess." She started out of the front window. She knew that she was being sharp, but she had to keep it together. She knew that the kids were hurting.

Jess looked at her Mum. She knew what she was doing. "Alright…I'll see you later." She put a hand on her knee and squeezed gently before getting out of the car.

Karen sat there for a moment. There were kids filtering through the gates. Then she saw Charlie's car pulling up. She took a deep breath and trying to stay calm she got out of the car and made her way into the school and towards her office before she could be confronted in the car park.

…

Karen had spent most of the day in her office staring out of the window. She had told Chris that she hadn't been feeling well and he had been dealing with most of the disruptive kids. Karen didn't want to walk around the school. She didn't want to see Charlie. It was mad when she thought about it…she was still living with the man, yet she didn't want to see him. How was that going to work? She shook her head, she was being stupid. As she had told Jess it had been a one off. They would go back home tonight and it would be fine.

She jumped as there was a knock at the door. She jumped. She took a deep breath before speaking. "Come in." She watched the door open and Rob stood in the doorway looking at her. As she took another breath she could feel her heart pounding. She tried to speak but couldn't. To cover her fear she took a deep mouthful of the water sat on her desk. "What can I do for you Rob?" She was impressed with how convincing her voice was when her insides felt that they might burst out at any minute.

"I was just wondering if you were ok…" He looked at her. It was quite apparent that she wasn't, and there had been talk in the classroom about how all of the Fisher kids had been out of character. Jess had spent two hours in the cooler already this morning.

Karen nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?" She shrugged at him. She looked at him…did he know? No she was being stupid, no one could know.

Rob looked at her. "You haven't left the office all morning…Jess had been in the cooler for two hours already and the whole staff room are talking about how quiet Bex and Harry are being. I was just worried about you." He looked at her. He didn't want to push too far, but in his opinion she might just need a friend, and he wanted her to know that he could do that for her.

Karen nodded. "Rough night." She didn't want to give him anything else. Her mind was distracted to Jess. She had known that if any of them would react badly then it would be her. "Is Jess still in the cooler?" Karen knew she was going to have to leave the office. She needed to see Jess.

Rob nodded. "I'm afraid so…looks like she might be staying there for a bit too." He looked at Karen. "It's tough being a teenager."

For the first time in a couple of days she managed a smile. "Tell me about it…I have three of them to constantly remind me about it." She stood up from her desk. It was amazing that Rob had been there for less than ten minutes and already managed to calm her down. She felt ready to walk out of the office. "Thanks Rob." She smiled at him.

"It's alright, good luck with Jess."

…

Karen walked along the corridor to the cooler. She got to the first window and looked in. Jess was the only student sat in the bare room. At least that was one bonus. The second being that Grantley was the teacher supervising and he wouldn't need to hear her offer to take over twice.

"So." Karen spoke as soon as Grantley had left the room. "What happened to keeping your head down?" She pulled out a chair from a desk next to Jess and sat on it.

Jess shrugged her shoulders. "I just…I couldn't deal with people, it just seemed so un-important. This." With the word she motioned around. "All of this means nothing really."

Karen looked at her. "I don't get it Jess. You know how much the next couple of years mean…uni and everything else…why would you let it slip away now?"

Jess looked at her. "Let me think…my alcoholic father is beating up my Mum and there's nothing I can do about it." With that she started crying. The whole day she had been fighting to keep her emotions inside and finally it had become too much.

Karen pulled her into a hug and held her close. She rocked her like she had done when she was small and gently kissed her head. "It'll be ok…we'll be ok." As she said the words she wanted to believe them, she wanted to be able to make everything better for all of them…but when was anything ever that simple.

"I don't get it Mum…you're worth so much more…" Jess looked up at her. She knew that her make up was bound to be all round her eyes, but she didn't care. Her Mum was one of the few people she could be completely herself round and make up or perfect hair didn't matter.

"Neither do I…" Karen looked at her youngest daughter. It was true, the Karen Fisher she saw in the mirror was not the same woman of a couple of years ago, but that would change. She would make sure of it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Karen walked out of her office and down to the car. The kids had all left straight after school. Jess had sent her a text about an hour ago to say that Charlie had come home, but she had also said that he was calm…and acting as though nothing had happened. After reading it Karen had spent more than two hours trying to clear paperwork in her office. She felt bad for not being there with the kids, but she also needed some time to decide what she was going to do. She had known that the easiest thing would have been for Charlie to have stayed away. Him coming back meant that it was her decision to make…and she didn't know what to do. After talking to Jess she had started to understand the pressure that the volatile relationship had been putting on the kids. None of them wanted to talk about their problems in case it caused a problem between Charlie and Karen…and she knew that wasn't right. Now she wasn't sure whether she had spent two hours clearing her head…or whether she had merely been putting off going home and facing whatever lay waiting for her. Eventually she finished the paperwork and packed up her bag before leaving her office for the night, it was time to go home.

…

As she pulled into the drive Karen had to fight the urge to drive straight off again. The last time her and Charlie had been in the house together it had become violent. The burn on her wrist was still struggling to heal, but this time her children were inside and they needed her. She had been trying to run away from this for too long. She checked her hair in the mirror and got out of the car. She didn't know what was going to greet her as she walked through the door. She was late again, but not too late. She turned the key in the door and stepped through. There was silence straight ahead of her, however she could heard the murmur of TV's and music playing around the house. It all seemed rather normal on first appearance. Taking a deep breath she stepped further in and took off her coat. There were footsteps down the stairs and she saw Jess appear at the top of them. Karen smiled up at her youngest daughter who ran down the stairs towards her before giving her a warm hug. Karen smiled and hugged Jess back. Neither of them said anything, but it was as though they didn't need to. Everything that had needed saying was shared between them in their earlier conversation. Eventually Karen pulled backwards and looked at Jess. "Are you ok?" Her voice wasn't a whisper, but it was deliberately quiet enough that it could only be heard between the two of them.

Jess nodded. "He's in the kitchen…he hasn't said much, but I think he's cooking dinner." She smiled at her Mum before turning and walking back up the stairs.

Karen took off her shoes and put them into the normal rack before she finally plucked up the courage to walk into the kitchen. Jess was right, Charlie was stood by the counter putting together the ingredients for what looked like a spaghetti carbornara. Stepping through the door she spoke to him. "Hi." As soon as she said it the word sounded stupid and weak, but what else was she meant to say.

Charlie turned round and smiled at her. "Hey darling. Good day at work? Jess said that you were trying to work your way through a pile of paperwork." He put down the ingredients he was working with and wiped his hands before holding out his arms.

She looked at the outstretched arms. What was he expecting her to do? She stood there for a moment looking. Neither of them moved. "Charlie…we need to talk." She didn't move from where she was standing. Instead she automatically bought up the statement she needed.

Charlie turned back to the dinner and started attacking a mushroom. "I don't know why Karen…what happened was a mistake…and I'm very sorry." He carried on chopping.

"It's not that simple Charlie, I think you know that. We can't just forget what happened…the kids…"

He threw down the knife and turned round. "Oh the kids…so that's why none of them are speaking to me? You've poisoned them against me? Great." He took off the apron and threw it on to the table. "Why do you always have to make things so difficult Karen. I was trying to cook a nice meal so we could sit down together as a family and you have to bring up what's gone wrong."

Karen looked at him. She wanted to shout at him…she wanted to tell him that none of this was her fault, but instead she stood looking at him and listening to him blaming her for what had happened…well maybe he was right. "Sorry." She spoke the word before her brain could stop her. "Dinner looks lovely." She stepped forward and rubbed his arm.

Charlie smiled at. "I don't mean to get cross Karen. You just make it so hard for me sometimes. You understand that don't you?" He ran a hand down the side of her face and it lingered on the spot he had bruised.

Karen nodded. The touch of his hand on her face made her want to scream…but she didn't know what to do, where else could she go? "Let's finish this off them, I'm sure everyone's getting hungry."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Charlie handed the pasta bowls around the table. None of the kids had spoken a word since they had been called down. Looking round at them Karen could see that there was a massive element of shock around the table. None of them could quite believe that they were all going on as if nothing had happened. None of them could have been more shocked that she was, for the whole day she had been running scenarios through her head, and this had never come close to being one of them.

"Tuck in then everyone." Charlie smiled as he picked up his knife and fork and started on his dinner. Jess glanced at Karen who nodded back at her, the situation was strange but she felt that for the moment they needed to go along with it. In her mind she had started to wonder whether Charlie was right…maybe the night before had been her fault. Maybe it would be different now. She knew that the food in front of her should have been tasty, but each mouthful was making her want to be sick. She didn't know whether it was nerves or the sheer disgust she felt at herself for not being stronger. Whatever it was it was making the meal unbearable. After her fourth meal she had to admit defeat and put her cutlery down, she hadn't realised that Charlie had been watching her throughout. Just after she had put her cutlery down he did the same.

"Is something wrong with the meal Karen?" He looked at her, the kids around him were trying to keep their heads down, but they could sense the tension in the room.

"No it's lovely. I'm just not feeling too good. In fact I was thinking about grabbing an early night." She smiled at him. She was all too aware of the kids around the table, and of the fact that she had no idea about how Charlie was going to react.

Charlie nodded and he put his head down looking at the dinner. Then in a sudden movement he stood up and threw his dinner plate against the wall next to him. The crash of the plate made everyone around the table jump, and the tears that had been threatening in Karen's eyes finally started to roll down her face.

"I try and cook you a nice meal and this is how you repay me?" Charlie started walking round towards Karen who took a deep breath.

"Kids go up to your rooms, you can finish your meals up there." She nodded at them while trying to battle her tears back.

Bex and Harry got up and picked up there plates. Bex looked at her Mum. She wanted to jump in and give her a hug, but she didn't want to make the situation worse for anyone. Jess on the other hand stayed in her seat and shook her head. "No." She looked towards her Mum. "I don't want to leave you…" She too could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Jess please." Karen looked at her daughter. She knew that she was on the verge of pleading with her. "For me." It was as though Charlie was in the room. The whole situation was moving in slow motion as Karen tried to protect her children.

Knowing that there was nothing more she could do Jess stood from the table and leaving her plate where is sat she left the table, but not before she looked back once more at her Mum. She mouthed the words back to her. "I love you."

Karen looked up at Charlie. "Whatever is going on between the two of us. I will not have you bring the kids into in." She was amazed at how strong her voice sounded. Yet as many people had explained to her over the years. There wasn't much that a mother wouldn't do for her children.

Charlie stood over her looking at the dinner. "So are you going to eat it then?" His voice seemed calm, but there was a quiet menace behind it.

Looking down at the spaghetti in her bowl Karen contemplated whether it would be simpler to force the meal down in order to calm the situation, but even thinking about eating another mouthful made her gag. She gently shook her head. "I'm not hungry Charlie…I'm going to get an early night." She pushed the chair away from the table.

"I didn't cook this for it to be wasted Karen." Charlie pushed her chair back into the table with such force that Karen heard something crack. The pain that immediately followed seemed to confirm that one of her ribs had been cracked. As she tried to push it out she realised that he had put his force behind it to stop her from moving, she was trapped against the table. Not only that, but every time she moved there was a shooting pain across her ribs.

"Charlie…please don't…do this." The words were spread out as she tried to breath between each without causing herself any more pain in her ribs. She looked up at him, she wasn't really sure what she meant by this, but in her mind it covered so many things.

"Don't try and turn this on me Karen. I've tried to give you a nice evening and a nice meal, but you throw it back into my face." He put a hand around her face and forced her jaw open. "I can't have that Karen, I don't deserve to be treated like this." While he held a firm grip on her jaw with one hand, he used the other to pick up a forkful of pasta and force it into her mouth. Once inside he forced her mouth shut until she had no choice but to chew.

Karen tried with all her might to struggle away, and she tried to force the pasta down her throat, but it wasn't going anywhere. She chewed and chewed hoping it would slip down. Eventually she forced the congealed lump down. She tried to take some deep breaths to stop the sickness in her stomach, but her chest was still screaming. She wanted to cry but the tears wouldn't fall.

Seemingly satisfied that he had proved a point Charlie released his grip and walked away, she could hear his heavy footsteps walking up the stairs before she heard the slamming of their bedroom door. Gingerly she pushed the chair away from the table. Standing she gently lifted her top to look at her rib. The bruising had already started colouring and as she touched it she winced in pain.

"Mum." She jumped as she heard the voice behind her. She turned while dropping her top, but not before Jess could see the damage to her ribs.

"I thought I told you to go upstairs." Karen smiled weakly at her daughter.

"I couldn't leave you…I'm sorry." Jess felt the tears start spilling down her face. She stood there crying as she looked at her Mum.

Karen shook her head and walked over to hug her as strongly as her ribs would allow. "Don't you even think about apologising." She stoked Jess' hair. "I want you to do something for me Jess…" She looked at her youngest daughter.

Jess looked up at her. "Ok…but there's something I need to tell you first." Jess looked at looking suddenly guilty.

Karen nodded. "Ok."

"I phoned Rob…I didn't know what else to do…I was worried that…well I don't even know, but he's waiting outside. I made him promise not to come to the door." Jess looked at her Mum. "I had to do something." She bit her lip. She wasn't even sure why it was Rob she had phoned, but it had seemed like the right thing to do.

Karen nodded. "Ok. Well it's done now…I need you Bex and Harry to pack up some over night things. It's not too late yet, so I'm going to phone Tom and see if he'll have you for the night."

"What about you?" Jess wasn't bothered about where she was going, it was obvious that her Mum was hurt, and as far as she was concerned that came first.

"I am going to see if Rob will take me to A and E…" Karen was surprised at what she said, she hadn't planned on it, but it seemed like the best option and it would put everyone's minds at ease.

Jess nodded. "Ok…what about Dad?"

"Leave that to me…now, you go and tell Bex and Harry, but try and be as quiet as possible. Meet me down here in ten minutes ok?" Karen kissed Jess on the forehead. "We're going to be ok…I promise."

Jess nodded. "Ten minutes." She smiled at her Mum before walking back up the stairs. Karen watched her go, she walked over to the curtain and pulled it back so she could see Rob's blue car waiting outside.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Karen made sure that all three of her kids were out of the house before she even started thinking about herself. She gave them all cash, and made sure that they had their phone chargers. She knew that she would be seeing them tomorrow, but she wanted to make sure that they wouldn't need to go back to the house. Once they had all gone she stopped and listened around the house. There was no movement however she wasn't surprised. Charlie would no doubt be waiting for her to go upstairs to see him. Instead Karen picked up her handbag and her coat. She knew that she didn't have clean clothes or underwear…but she would get over that later. Right now she needed to be out of the house. She opened the door and walked out towards the blue car.

Rob had been sat outside waiting for nearly an hour. As soon as he had come off the phone to Jess he had got straight into his car and drive round to their house. It had taken all of his will-power not to walk in there and throttle Charlie. No instead he had made sure the car was visible from the house and waited. After being there a little over twenty minutes his phone had gone off with a message from Karen saying that she was sending the kids to friends and then she would be out. Rob didn't know how to describe his feelings about Karen Fisher. If she wasn't married then he would say that he loved her, but he knew that he couldn't. Yet they were friends, but they were also so much more, he felt the need to protect her, and he knew that her relationship with Charlie had been going rapidly down hill for months. He knew that some of his male friends would advise him to take advantage of the 'damsel in distress' but he couldn't do it, and it wasn't him anyway. No he just needed to protect Karen physically and emotionally and stop her from getting more hurt. Eventually he saw her walking out of the house and towards the car. She was walking slowly and carefully, with one hand held protectively over her ribs.

Karen hadn't realised quite how much her ribs hurt until she walked into the cold night air. She took small steps and tried to balance herself with one arm. She reached the car and Rob jumped out and opened the passenger door for her before guiding her gently in. There was a sudden crash as the front door of the house flew open and Charlie stood there. However Rob remained calm and without saying a word drove away leaving Charlie shouting after them. After driving for a couple of minutes he looked at Karen and tried not to show his shock about how ill she looked. "I'm taking you straight to A and E. You need checking out…" He broke off he didn't want to make her do anything. "I mean…I just think." He wanted so much to scoop her up and waltz her off to somewhere that he could care for her and look after her as his own wife. What was he thinking…she was still married.

"I think it's a good idea." She spoke slowly while trying not to move too much. Despite Rob driving as smoothly as possible each movement was causing her agony in her ribs. She looked towards him, she hated to admit it, but in the few hours they had been apart she had missed him. She enjoyed his company and everything about him, while they were together she felt like the Karen she remembered from when things were good…the Karen that she missed. "Thankyou." She smiled at him as he glanced over from the driving seat.

"You don't need to thank me Karen…I would do anything for you…I just wish that." He couldn't finish the sentence because he wasn't sure exactly what it was that he wished for. In his dreams he wished that she was his wife…he wished that they were together and that Charlie had been punished for abusing her. He wished that when she looked at him her heart would leap in the same way that his did every time he saw her face.

"I know Rob…" She looked at him, little did he know that she felt the same. "Charlie thinks that we're having an affair." She let out a slight laugh before wincing at the pain in her ribs.

Rob looked at her. "I'm not sure what's funny about that?"

Karen smiled. "If we were then maybe this." She gestured towards her ribs. "Maybe this would be worth something." She bit her lip. She knew that this was dangerous ground, however she also knew that she was safe with Rob. They both knew that in an ideal world they would be more that friends…but they also both knew that it wasn't possible for the people they were at that moment in time.

He nodded. "Maybe." He signalled to pull into the car park for the hospital. "I don't want to take you back there Karen…at least not tonight. I can't bear the thought that he might hurt you again." Rob looked at her. "I'm happy to pay for you to stay in a hotel or a B and B if you don't want to stay at mine." He didn't want to put any pressure on her. This wasn't about 'them.' This was about protecting Karen from what Charlie could do to her.

"You don't need to do that…I'm happy to stay at yours." She looked towards the entrance to A and E. "Lets just go and get me checked out first…you never know. They might give me a day off school." She winked at him before starting to get out of the car.

Rob smiled. "You'll be lucky." He too got out of the car and supporting Karen on her good side he helped her towards the hospital.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After waiting for two hours in A and E Karen was finally checked over by a doctor who confirmed that she had indeed cracked two ribs. He prescribed her pain killers and recommended that she wear a sling to protect herself from being walked into. He also advised that she rest to give her some time to heal. Something that Rob made sure he took note of. Through the examination he had been holding her hand. The bruising had already started and he couldn't help but wince as he saw the extent of the damage for the first time.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this." Karen carefully sat up as they waited for the doctor to come back with the prescription and the sling.

"Don't apologise Karen…I want to help you…" He stopped. What was he meant to say? He wished that he could whisk her away from her abusive husband, but for now this would have to do.

"You have." She looked at him. "Explaining this as school is going to be fun." She laughed a little. "The rumour mill will have a field day." She winced as she moved a bit sharply.

"Mmm." Rob didn't want to talk about the rumours that had been going round school. The staff didn't miss a trick and the rumours had been going for a couple of weeks about the relationship between Karen and Charlie. The doctor walked back in and sorted the sling to protect Karen's ribs before discharging her.

Karen looked at Rob, there had been very little said between them in the time they had been together. But they were both thinking a lot. Karen knew how hard this must have been for Rob. Part of her wished that Jess had phoned someone else, but really she knew that she wouldn't have felt safe with anyone else.

"Right then, lets get you back. You can have my bed and I'll get the sofa." Rob helped her off the bed gently.

"Thankyou." Karen looked at him. She found it amazing that after only three hours or so with him she felt so much calmer. She let him help her and they slowly made the way back to the car.

…

Rob pulled into his driveway before getting out of the drivers side and helping Karen out so she didn't have to put any extra pressure on her ribs. Rob looked up at Aiden's window. The light was off, he had told him that he was going to get Karen before he had left. It had seemed easier to be honest with him that have to do the explaining in the morning.

"I have to apologise for the house. Between me and Aiden we don't get much tidying done." He supported her as they walked towards the house.

Karen smiled at him. The car journey had made her realise quite how tired she was and she was falling asleep. "It's fine Rob…I really appreciate you doing this." She felt herself gripping to him tighter as she fought her body to stay awake.

Rob held her close as he walked with her towards the front door. Being careful not to knock her he got out the keys and let them both into the house. He looked and saw her face becoming paler. "I think we need to get you straight to bed."

Karen nodded at him, she wasn't going to argue. She could feel her head dropping and her legs were becoming heavier. With Rob supporting her she made her way up the stairs towards his room. She gave a gentle smile as they walked in and he sat her on his bed.

Rob looked at her. "Do you want one of my t-shirts to sleep in Karen? I know it's not great but…"

"That'll be great…will you help me get changed?" Karen knew that she was asking a lot, but she also wasn't sure that she was going to manage it on her own. The pain in her ribs was getting stronger.

"Ok…" Rob nodded at her. He walked over and gently started helping her get undressed. When she was down to her underwear he got out the T-Shirt and being careful to look away helped her in. He was determined that she keep her modesty. He felt that it must be hard enough for her with what was going on than having to worry about anything else.

"Thankyou." She squeezed his hand before letting him help her into the bed. He gently moved her down into the bed before moving the duvet across her.

"That's ok. Now I'll just be downstairs. All you need to do is call and I'll be right here." He lent down and kissed her forehead. He wasn't sure why but it seemed like the right thing to do.

Karen couldn't help but smile. She watched him turn away before calling his name. "Rob?" He turned back to face her and she looked at him. "Will you stay with me?"

He looked at her. "I would love to…but I can't make things any harder for you, I don't want you to get hurt." He sat on the bed next to her and held her hand again. It was so hard not to take her in his arms there and there. "I don't want to take advantage of you Karen. You're worth so much more than that."

She shook her head. "I just want you to hold me Rob…you make me feel safe." She knew that she was asking too much, and she hated herself for it. "I don't want to be alone anymore." It came as a surprise to her that the words came from her lips. She knew that they were true, but she had never meant to say them.

Rob nodded gently he got into the bed beside her and let her rest her head on his chest.

"Don't leave me Rob." She was half asleep as the words slipped from her mouth, but that didn't mean they had any less meaning to either of them.

Gently he kissed her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere." He held her gently and stroked her hair until she finally fell asleep. It was only when he knew that she was sleeping that he let himself drift off.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Opening her eyes Karen tried to stretch. However two things stopped her. The first being the excruciating pain through her ribs, and the second being Rob's arms wrapped protectively around her. She looked at the man who had spent the night looking after her. She didn't make an effort to move, for the first time in months she felt completely safe.

"Karen…" Rob murmured her name as he started coming around from the deep sleep he had been in.

"Hey." Karen responded not knowing whether he was awake or asleep. She didn't want him to worry about her or whether she was comfortable.

He gently tried to lift his body up without hurting her, they gently moved up the bed so he was sitting while still supporting her damaged body. "Did you manage to get much sleep?" He looked down at her before stroking some of the stray hairs from her face. He looked at the woman he wanted to protect, he didn't want to let her out of his sight at the chance she might be hurt again.

She gently nodded. "I had the best nights sleep I've had for a long time Rob…" She looked up at him. There was so much left unsaid between them, but she knew that this wasn't the time. "What's the time?" Karen remembered that her kids were all staying with other people, and that at some point she was going to have to start putting the pieces of her family back together.

"Nearly seven." Rob looked down at her. "What are you going to do today?" He looked down at her face, for the first time in weeks the pressure holding her back seemed to have lifted and it felt that he was seeing Karen Fisher clearly for the first time.

"I don't know Rob…I can't go back there while Charlie's there…I want to go into school, that way I can see the kids without causing any more issues between them and Charlie." She looked down. "I don't have any clean underwear…but I could pop into Tesco's on the way into school." If she was completely honest then all Karen wanted to do was stay in Rob's bed all day with his arms wrapped around her.

"It's your decision Karen…and I'll be there for you whatever you choose, you know that." He looked down at her. "How about I sort some breakfast and you can decide what to do while we eat?" He looked at her and smiled. He knew that they both needed to go into school, it would raise too many questions otherwise. He also knew that Charlie wouldn't be able to touch her while she was there.

"That sounds nice." She eased herself off his body before sitting up with her help. "Can I have a shower?" She didn't want to presume anything of him. He had already done so much for her.

"Of course. I'll get you some clean towels." Rob got up from the other side of the bed. "Just take things easy Karen, you've been really hurt." He looked at her making sure that she knew he was being serious.

She flashed him a smile. "You make a very good nurse Rob." She winked at him. She found it amazing that she was starting to feel like her normal self after so little time with Rob, it was making her realise how bad things must have been between herself and Charlie.

…

Rob pulled his car into his normal space. They had made the decision to go into school, but they had both decided that they needed to be there early so nothing could be said about them arriving together. Breakfast had been fine and to Rob's relief Aiden had been quite accepting of the whole situation. There were many ways Rob and Aiden were different, and other ways in which they were almost completely identical. One of those being that they both hated violence against women, and as far as Aiden was concerned Rob was doing the right thing by Karen and that was all that mattered.

"Have you had any response from the kids?" Rob looked towards the woman in his passenger seat. She had spent the whole morning looking at her phone waiting for a response from her kids. She was worried that Charlie would have tried to track them down.

"Yes. They're all going to come and see me at break time…" Karen looked towards Rob. "I know this is a lot…but will you be there?"

Rob nodded. "If that's what you want Karen, and I know it'll be a squash. But I've spoken to Aiden and he's happy if you all want to stay at ours for a couple of days until you get everything sorted." He reached over and squeezed her hand. "You don't have to go back there Karen…I know it wont be ideal but…" He broke off. What he really wanted to say was that he hated the idea of her going back to the house she shared with Charlie and risking being hurt again.

Karen looked at him. "Thank you…I have to talk to the kids…but I mean it, thank you." She squeezed his hand back before getting out of the car. She looked up towards the school and took a deep breath. The sling across her arm was supporting her ribs but it hadn't stopped the pain she felt. She had spoken to Rob and the kids and they had decided to tell everyone that she had fallen into a table. It seemed like the right thing to do. She didn't need the rumour mill starting when she was still so unsure of what was happening herself.

Rob locked the door before standing next to Karen. "I wish I could make everything better…take all of this away." He slipped his hand into hers.

Karen let him take her hand. "I don't understand why this is happening Rob…I don't understand why I let him…I'm normally so strong…I've always been the strong one." She heard her voice break and took a deep breath to steady her voice.

Rob squeezed her hand again. "I promise I'll be here for you Karen…" He didn't need to stay any more. Instead they stood for a moment before walking into the empty school.


	9. Chapter 9

Hi guys. Thankyou to everyone for your reviews. Especially pussycatwithattitude and WeeHelenxX. I have to warn you that I got upset writing this chapter and it does contain violence and abuse that some people may find upsetting. Tasha. X

Chapter 9

Karen hadn't made it out of her office for most of the day. She had asked Chris to deal with the days pastoral issues, the cover story for the staff was that she was catching up on paperwork to do with their appraisals for the end of the term. Of course Karen had already finished them, but she hoped that thinking she was working on them would leave her un-disturbed for most of the day. Despite convincing herself that she was fine to be at work, there was something in her mind worrying her and the last thing that she wanted was to be put in a situation that she didn't feel she had control over. Not that day.

She had watched all of the cars pull into the car park that morning, this meant that she knew Charlie was in school. However she preferred it that way, it meant that there wasn't going to any nasty surprises during the day. If she was honest there was nothing she wanted more than to be back at Rob's. She had felt more safe in his arms than she had done for years with Charlie. At the same time she hated herself for thinking that…what was she doing even thinking about another man when she should have been fighting to save her marriage.

Karen felt herself jump at the knock on her office door. She looked across to her clock, it was break time, that meant it was likely to be one of the kids coming to talk to her about last night. Standing up from her desk she stood up and let in Bex and Jess. Harry was just walking into the outer office and followed them in. Karen let her eyes glance to Janeece who was watching the three kids and trying to figure out what could be going on. Karen walked back into her office and gently closed the door.

Bex was the first one to speak. "Are you leaving him Mum?" She had cut straight to the point. There was no need to ask who she was talking about.

"It's not that simple sweetheart." Karen wasn't quite sure what she was saying, it didn't help that her mind was still un made up about what it was that she wanted. She had always sworn that she would marry for life, and that she wouldn't become another divorce statistic.

"Why not?" Jess was the next to speak. "He hits you Mum…why would you stay with someone that does that to you?" Jess didn't understand what was going on. It didn't make sense to her that someone as strong as her Mum was unable to walk away from the situation.

Karen looked towards her youngest daughter. "I don't want to rush anything Jess…I think that…well I don't know." Karen was starting to feel flustered. The most important things in her life were her children. That was never a question…surely that meant she should seriously take on board what they were trying to tell her. "How would you three feel if I decided to leave your father?" She glanced towards Harry, he had been the only one not to speak. It seemed to Karen that he was thinking over what she was suggesting.

"I just want you to be happy Mum." He looked towards her and from her tired eyes to the sling on her arm. "We all know that you're not happy with Dad…" He broke off. He didn't want to say anymore but looking at his Mum he knew that she had understood what he was saying.

Karen looked from Harry to her daughters. "Do you two feel the same?" She kept watching as both Bex and Jess nodded their heads. "Ok." Karen walked over towards the three of them and held out her arms to take them all into a hug. Without a word they all responded, and that was how they stayed for several minutes. "I'm sorry it's taken me so long to make this decision."

…

The final bell had gone and Karen stood in her office watching the kids filtering out of the playground. She had decided that it would be best if the kids went to their friends for dinner and gave her a chance to sort everything out. She knew that Charlie's car was still parked outside, and she was in no doubt that he would soon be coming to her office to talk about what was going on. She had after all not seen him since Rob had driven her off to the hospital the night before.

"Karen?" The voice at the door made her turn around. Charlie stood there with his coat on and a bag in his hand. "Are you coming home?"

His soft voice completely threw her. She had been stood in her office trying to figure out the best way to tell Charlie that she wanted to separate, and he comes in reminding her of the man she fell in love with and married. "We need to talk Charlie." She stepped away from the window and turned so he could see her arm in a sling.

Charlie nodded and stepped towards her. "I didn't mean to hurt you Karen…you just made me so angry, and you know how I get when I'm angry." He stepped closer and lifted a hand to stroke her face.

Karen flinched under his touch. "It's happening too much Charlie, the kids are starting to ask questions…" She broke off and looked at him. They were asking much more than just questions, but she wasn't sure that this was the time to tell him that.

"This is nothing to do with the kids Karen…" Charlie looked at her. "Why did you bring the kids into it? What have you been telling them?" The tone of his voice had suddenly changed from soft to slightly menacing.

"I haven't told them anything Charlie…they've worked it out." She looked at the floor. She wasn't going to take the blame for this. Not again.

"You've been trying to poison them against me…" He reached out to grab the arm not in a sling. Karen tried to step backwards but her held her where she was. "What have you been telling them Karen?"

"Nothing." She was desperate to keep her voice composed, but she knew it was starting to crack. "Please Charlie get off me." She looked up at him.

"Where did you stay last night Karen? Did you stay with him?" He looked at her and spat on the floor. "Do I even need to ask." He pulled her arm so she was stood with her back against her desk.

"Stop it Charlie…this needs to stop." She looked into his eyes, she found herself searching them for any remainder of the man she thought she once knew.

"DID YOU SCREW HIM?" Suddenly Charlie turned her and slapped her clean across her face. Karen started to tremble. She knew that there were no cars left in the car park…she was alone. The tears fell down her face. "ANSWER ME." He grabbed her jaw and squeezed.

Karen shook her head. "No." She choked the word out through the tears and the pain.

"I'M YOUR HUSBAND KAREN…" He turned her around and ripped off her shirt.

Karen tried to turn on him, she tried to hit him away. Another blow hit the side of her face, and her stomach was pushing into the desk. "No…please don't Charlie." She felt her legs crumple as more pain ran through her ribs and another blow came down on her face.

"You're my wife Karen…and now you're going to act like one." She realised that he wasn't going to stop, there was nothing she could do anymore. She wanted none of this to be happening, she squeezed her eyes shut, yet he was still ripping at her clothes and flesh. "No…" Her voice was a whimper now, the tears were still falling. There was nothing she could do to stop him…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Rob looked up again at his clock. School had finished an hour ago, he had been home for half an hour…Karen still hadn't arrived. He stood up and got his coat. He had a sinking feeling in his stomach that he shouldn't have left her alone.

…

As he pulled into the staff car park he saw Karen's was the only car left. Everyone else had gone. Locking his car he got out and walked into the school, he was making his way straight for her office. He couldn't stop the awful thoughts running through his mind. He wanted to stop it, it was most likely that she had been catching up on paper work. However as soon as he got to her office and saw the paperwork on the floor and smashed mug he knew that something was wrong.

"Karen?" He spoke her name gently, pushing open the door to her office fully he walked inside. At first he didn't see her, she was curled in the corner desperately trying to cover herself with ripped pieces of her clothes. There was dried blood across her face mixed with tears and vomit. Running over to her he whipped off his coat and bought it around her shoulders. Around his he could see other pieces of his clothes, the thing that made him want to be sick were the ripped pants in one corner of the room.

"He…" Karen tried to look up but couldn't face it. There was another dry sob before she tried again. "Charlie…" Once again she couldn't put the sentence together.

Rob didn't need her to explain, instead he sat next to her and being careful pulled her close, he wanted her to be safe. "I should never have left you alone…" Rob looked down at the shaking woman in his arms. He couldn't help but feel that he could have stopped this. He wasn't even sure what this was. He was pretty sure in his mind, but he didn't want to think about it. They sat in silence, neither wanted to talk about what had happened, but eventually it was Rob that spoke. "We need to get you checked over Karen…you're hurt."

She looked up at him tears filling her eyes. "I can't…" She hung her head down. Letting Rob take her to the hospital or worse the police station would make everything that had happened seem even more real, and she wasn't sure that she was strong enough to go through it again.

"Karen…you can't let him get away with this." He gently touched her swollen face. "I couldn't live with myself…" He looked down at her, she was barely covered by his coat. The rest of her clothes were lying in pieces around the room. "Did he…" How was he meant to ask her that question? How would he find the words?

Karen looked at him. "I couldn't stop him…" Her voice cracked on the final word and the sobs started again. "He wouldn't stop…" It was all the confirmation she could give him, they both knew what she was talking about and what Charlie had done to her.

Rob felt sick to his stomach. Knowing that Charlie had come in here and hurt her was bad enough. But to think that he had raped her was a whole new level. "I wont leave you Karen…but we really need to get you checked out." He knew that he was pushing her, but he knew that she needed looking at. There were multiple bruises and cuts across her body that were visible, but they both knew that there were more wounds that couldn't be seen by the naked eye.

Karen looked at him. "I can't do it without you."

Rob gently lent forward and kissed the top of the head. "I'm not going anywhere Karen…we're going to do all of this together." He stood up and took off the shirt he had on. He slipped it around her waist making sure that she was nearly covered. Then he helped her push her arms into his coat so he could do it up around her. The bruises on her ribs had become more violent and he could see that every movement was hurting her. "Where do you keep your bin bags Karen?" He knew that it sounded a strange question to ask, but there was a reason behind it.

Karen pointed towards her desk. Her arm was still shaking and every movement still hurt. Her eyes felt as if they were dropping but she knew that she wasn't going to be able to sleep.

Rob nodded. "Ok, I need to take some of these things with us...I don't know what they're going to need though." He looked towards her. She nodded at him, he gently picked his way through the mess across the office floor. He made sure that he picked up her underwear and tights, then in a separate bag he put her skirt and top, well the scraps that were left of them. He had to take another deep breath when he saw the state of them. It was taking all of his effort not to vomit as he realised exactly what Karen must have been through. He picked up Karen's handbag and put the clothes inside. Then he walked back towards her. "Do you think you can stand?"

Karen slowly nodded. With Rob's help she made her way to her feet. He helped her tighten the clothes around her. She took a small step forward and her knees crumbled from beneath her. "I'm sorry…" She feel into Rob's arms and he supported her as she felt the tears come again. She had never felt so helpless before.

"Karen, I'm going to carry you. Is that ok?" He looked at her, he was pretty sure that she would agree to anything to get out of there at that minute in time, but he needed to make sure that she was having something in her control again.

"Yes…" She nodded at him gently. Her eyes were half shut so she didn't have to look at the office anymore. The last thing she wanted was to start thinking about what had happened.

Rob nodded and carefully lifted Karen into his arms. He made sure that she was modestly covered before gently walking with her out of the school.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Rob had decided before pulling out of the parking space that he was taking her to the hospital. He had contemplated the police station, but looking at her again and the physical wounds he knew that the police would automatically send her to the hospital. However there was something that was worrying him more, he didn't feel like this was necessarily the best time to bring it up, however there didn't seem like a good time. "Karen where are you going to stay tonight?" He glanced at the woman in his passenger seat, he could see that she was still shaking, and her arms were wrapped tightly around her holding his clothes tight to her otherwise naked body.

"I…I…" She looked towards him. "I don't know…" With that she began to cry again. She was begin to realise the seriousness of the situation.

"I didn't mean to upset you Karen." He wanted to reach across and put a hand on her knee to comfort her. Yet it seemed like a stupid thing to do so he didn't. The last thing he needed to do was scare her again. "You'll stay at mine tonight…and for as long as you need to." He didn't ask her the question, it was very clear in his mind. There was enough room for her and all of the kids. He knew that Aiden would understand, he was like his Dad in more ways than many people realised.

"But the kids…" Karen spoke with a quiver in her voice. "I can't be away from them anymore…but how do I explain this…" She looked at him begging for the answers that she knew he couldn't give her.

"I'll phone Aiden…then we can get all of the kids too mine. We'll explain that you've been hurt and you're staying with me for at least tonight." He knew that she was worried, he also knew that they needed to tell the kids something, they were expecting news from their Mum…and to have nothing would make them all worry that something was seriously wrong. Rob had to kick himself at the irony of the situation. Something was seriously wrong.

"Rob…I'm sorry…" She looked towards him. She didn't understand why he was doing this for her, but she knew that without him she would still be cowering in the corner of her office.

"Don't ever apologise for this Karen…" He gripped the steering wheel tighter with both hands. He wasn't angry at her, it was the situation that she was in. How any man could ever abuse his wife he didn't understand…especially Karen.

Karen looked towards him. "I don't know what I would have done without you Rob…I…" She broke off. How was it that a man she hadn't known for a year could make her feel so safe when she felt as though the world was out to get her. She trusted him completely.

"You don't have to think about it Karen. I'm here and that's not going to change." He looked at her and smiled. "Now phone the kids before we get to the hospital…hopefully we'll be home in time to sort out a takeaway or something for dinner. If not then Aiden can sort something."

…

Pulling into the hospital car park Rob glanced down at the clock, it was nearly seven. He had phoned Aiden and Karen had phoned Bex, Harry and Jess. They all seemed to have taken what they were being told ok, and Karen's kids knew not to go back to their house. Rob could see Karen become more and more tired in the seat next to him, however he knew that there was little chance she would be sleeping tonight. He pulled the car into the parking space and got out to go round to her door. "I'm going to carry you Karen…unless you feel like you can walk?" He looked down at her fragile body knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to make it across the car park. Her body seemed to have tried to shut down to protect itself. He wasn't surprised considering the battering it had taken.

Karen nodded towards him. She knew that she wouldn't be able to walk even if she had wanted to. "Don't leave me Rob…" She knew that she had already said it several times, but she wasn't sure what she would do if he left her now.

Rob lent down and gently kissed her forehead before lifting her into his arms. "I'm not going anywhere Karen…I'm here for as long as you need me." Then with her firmly in his arms he made the way towards the entrance to A and E. He was careful that she was covered, but he knew that people were looking.

"Are they staring at me?" She looked towards him with tears glistening her eyes. All she wanted was to crawl away into a hole somewhere and pretend the last day hadn't happened.

"No." He looked down at her. They both knew he was lying, but there didn't seem much else to say. "Are you warm enough." He had a spare blanket in his car that he had wrapped around her again to try and make her feel more secure. He could still feel her body shaking, but he didn't know whether it was from cold or fear.

She nodded. "I can't feel much…" Her whole body still felt numb. She could see that she was hurt, the bruises were becoming clear, but she couldn't feel any of them.

They reached the entrance to A and E and Rob walked inside. The early evening meant that it was relatively quiet, and the nature of Karen's injuries meant that they were very quickly shown into a bay. One of the nurses bought her a hospital gown. "Will you help?" Karen looked towards Rob, she didn't think she could manage to get into the gown without help, and she wasn't ready to show one of the nurses her injuries quite yet.

Rob nodded. "Of course." Being as gentle as he could he unwrapped the clothes he had placed around her. Like before he was careful not to stare or look, he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. She still deserved her dignity. When she was into the gown he helped to prop her up against one of the pillows. Then they waited for the doctor.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The curtain to the bay drew back and a female doctor walked in. Karen had subconsciously slipped her hand into Rob's and he had been gently tracing circles on it, as soon as the doctor walked in Karen's grip tightened.

"Hi. I'm Doctor Taylor." The woman stood at the end of the bed and started taking notes. She finished and then put down the clip board and walked around the side of the bed. "Before I start the examination Karen I have to ask you."

As she heard the start of the question Karen turned her head away. She knew what she was about to ask…and she didn't think that she could answer them. There was something that seemed so ugly about admitting what had happened to her. She wouldn't be able to hide it anymore. She looked at Rob and mouthed to him. "I can't tell her." He lent towards her and stroked her hair.

"I'm here Karen…" He gently lifted her hand to remind her that he was holding on. "I promise that I'm hear."

The doctor had stopped talking when it had become obvious that Karen was distressed. However then Karen looked back towards her, and despite the tears filling her eyes she nodded for the doctor to carry on. "Karen have you been sexually assaulted?" The question was blunt and to the point, but it was what Karen needed.

Looking towards the doctor she took a deep breath before saying the one word that answered so many of the questions. "Yes." She saw the sympathetic look in the doctors eyes and it made her want to vomit. The last thing she wanted was any sympathy.

"Ok Karen. In cases like this we are required to put together an assault assessment. Part of which is a physical examination.!

Rob felt Karen's hand tighten in his, he was angry that there wasn't more he could do for her.

"I need your consent to the examination Karen." While the doctor was trying to keep her tone gentle there was no way of disguising what she was saying.

Gently Karen nodded. "Please do it now before I change my mind." She kept her grip of Rob's hand firm. She was sure she had ever wanted someone by her side so much.

"Some people prefer to have examination done in private." With this the doctor glanced towards Rob. He however wasn't looking at her. His full focus remained on Karen.

"I want him to stay…" Karen was quiet yet firm. She knew that she couldn't do it without him.

"Ok." The doctor left to gather the kit she needed. She had also told Karen that she would need to alert the police due to the assault.

"Why are you doing this for me Rob? I don't understand why you haven't run a mile." Karen looked up at him. It seemed ironic as he wouldn't be able to go anywhere while she still had a vice like grip on his hand.

"You're my best friend Karen…you mean so much o me. I just wish I could have done more. I should have been able to protect you." He heard the quiver in his voice and glancing at Karen he knew that she had too."

"I couldn't have done any of this without you." She reached up the other hand and held it against the side of his face.

The doctor pulled back the curtain and came in with the equipment for the assault kit. "I know it's not easy but I need you to try and relax for me Karen. I'll be as quick as I can."

Not knowing what else to do Rob gently turned Karen's head so she was looking at him. The he started stroking his hand through her hair in what he hoped was a soothing motion. He knew that she was in pain. At one point a single tear rolled down her face. He lent forward and gently kissed her forehead. "Not long now sweetheart." Thankfully he was right and within another five minutes the doctor had finished.

"Karen I'm afraid you're going to need some stitches. I could do them now for you?"

Karen nodded, as the doctor left the room to get the suturing kit Karen burst into tears.

Rob wanted to be sick. Knowing how much Charlie had hurt her was tearing him apart. How anyone could do that he would never understand. Let alone to someone they claimed to love. "You're so close Karen…then we can go home." It was a slip of the tongue. "I mean back to mine."

Karen looked towards him. "I know it's going to be a squeeze, and I know you have to think about Aiden…"

"You and the kids can stay as long as you need Karen. You need to focus on you for the minute." He kissed her forehead again. "Everyone deserves to feel safe."

…

Stitches done Karen was confirmed just to have bumps and bruises. She had needed another set of stitches for the cut on her face. It had been agreed that she didn't need to speak to the police until the next day. Even though she was sure that she could have walked Rob wasn't having any of it. The hospital had given her a set of scrubs to wear. Her clothes were needed for the police to examine.

"How do I explain this to the kids Rob?" She looked at him from the passenger seat of his car.

"All you can do is play it by ear Karen. None of them are stupid. They're going to know something's happened."  
>Karen nodded. "It's just…as soon as I tell anyone that's not you then it becomes real. I have to admit that Charlie." She took a deep breath. "That Charlie raped me."<p>

Rob winced as she said it. He knew what she meant. He so wanted to be dreaming, that he would wake up and none of this would have happened to her. "Let's get you home first." He smiled at her before pulling out of the space.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

It was nearly eleven when Rob pulled into his drive way. They both knew that all of the kids would still be awake. They had talked about picking up some food on the way home, but then realised that neither of them were hungry. Karen had sat through the whole journey wondering how she was going to tell the kids what had happened. Part of her knew that she wouldn't have to worry about it. The fact that she was wearing scrubs instead of her clothes automatically showed that something had happened. The three of them had watched enough criminal and detective shows that it wouldn't take them long to work out. If she was honest the real question was how they were going to move on and deal with it…how was she going to deal with it?

"You don't have to talk to them about it tonight you know…I'm sure they would understand if you decided to leave it until tomorrow." Rob hadn't needed to ask her what she was thinking about, it couldn't have been anything else.

"Not sure that's an option Rob…" She looked over towards him. "I know you're trying to help, but they've been waiting all day to find out if I'm ok. I don't think I can walk in looking like this and ask them to wait until tomorrow…I need to tell them tonight, and I'm pretty sure that I'm not going into school tomorrow, we might be able to talk things through more." She smiled towards him.

"I know…I'm just worried about you." Rob felt himself mentally slap his head. Of course he was worried about her, surely that went without saying.

"Well…we've got this far…" She reached over and gently kissed his cheek. "I couldn't have done any of this without you." She pulled back and looked at him. There was nothing she wanted more than to kiss him again, but she was still married and there was nothing Charlie would like more than an excuse for everything that had happened.

"Come on then, they'll be waiting." Carefully he helped her out of the car, and while he didn't carry her up to his house he was providing a lot of support for her fragile frame. He had made sure to get his keys out before helping Karen. That way it was simple to take them from his pocket and open the front door.

"Mum?" As soon as he opened the front door there was a voice from the kitchen. It was Jess that appeared first. She didn't have any make up on and her hair was a mess. While she had tried to clean herself up her red puffy eyes made it quite clear that she had been crying. She had one hand playing with her hair and the other near her mouth as she nervously bit her normally perfect nails. She took one look towards her Mum and burst into tears again.

"Come here." Karen spoke gently and held out her arms towards her youngest daughter. Jess didn't need asking twice and walked straight into her arms. Harry and Bex who had come down from upstairs after hearing their Mum's voice quickly joined their hug. While their appearances weren't quite as dramatic as Jess it was obvious that they were upset. With help from Rob and the kids Karen made her way into the front room and on to the sofa. Aiden had put the kettle on and way handing round steaming mugs of tea. Once they were settled it was Bex who spoke first.

"Did he do this to you Mum?" There was no need for her to articulate who she was talking about. They all knew who it was she meant, and everyone in the room knew that Karen didn't really need to answer.

"Yes…your Dad did this." Karen took a deep breath before taking a mouthful of tea. She was thankful having something there that she could use to attempt to disguise some of her nerves.

"He's not my Dad…" Jess was the next one to speak. She had been sat quietly thinking since they had moved into the living room. "I'm not having someone in my life who could…" She broke off. "Did he…" She tried the sentence again. She knew what she wanted to say, yet the words weren't there. How could she ask her Mum that question?

Rob felt sick to his stomach. It was so wrong that Karen should be sitting there telling her children about what Charlie had done to her…they all deserved better. She was worth so much more.

"You all need to know that the police are going to be involved…and that I will be pressing charges against him." Karen surprised herself slightly by how firmly she presented the statement. Up until she said it she hadn't been sure herself about what she was going to do.

"Will he go to prison?" This time it was Harry that spoke. He had been sat listening to what he was being told and assessing the situation. While he wasn't certain about what had happened between his parents he knew that his Mum deserved better. He just needed to know.

"I don't know Harry…there will be a case…and then well I don't know." Talking it through Karen realised how little she knew about the path that lay ahead of her. It seemed scary and she was beginning to question whether it was worthwhile. She had seen enough TV shows to know that whatever happened it was going to be a long path.

Harry nodded. "Can I still go to school tomorrow?" He looked towards her.

"Of course." Karen nodded. She wasn't going to force any of the kids into anything, she knew that Charlie was doing some supply work out of the area, so she didn't need to worry about his being there. For her it was a different matter, she knew that in order to go into school she would have to face going back into the office where it had all happened.

"I'm going to bed then Mum…" Harry smiled at her before standing up and kissing her cheek gently. "I'll see you tomorrow." She smiled towards his sisters and Rob before heading up the stairs quickly followed by Aiden.

"What about you two…do you want to go into school tomorrow?" Karen looked towards each of her daughters who sat beside her on the sofa.

Bex gently nodded. "I think so…" She wasn't completely sure what she wanted. She knew that there was lots to talk about, but she wasn't sure if she was quite ready for it yet. "I'll decide in the morning." The she too got up and kissed her Mum goodnight before heading upstairs. That left Jess.

"I don't want to leave you…" She looked towards her Mum, she couldn't help feeling that she should have done more, she had known that her Dad was hurting her Mum, yet she had never done anything about it.

"I'm not going anywhere Jess." Karen pulled her into a hug. She knew that her youngest daughter over thought things, she also knew that she would very easily blame herself for what had happened, this was something that Karen was determined to stop. There was no way she wanted anyone blaming themselves for this.

"I know…" Jess looked towards Rob. "Thank you." She smiled towards him, she wasn't sure what it was but he made her feel safe.

Rob nodded back. "How about you get some sleep? We'll still be here in the morning…there will be plenty of time to talk then."

It was Rob's reassuring tone that made Jess realise it was the best thing to do, she wasn't going to do her Mum any good by fussing round her for the rest of the night. Looking at her she seemed just about ready to fall asleep anyway. Gently Jess nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow then." She turned towards her Mum. "I love you." Then she walked over and like her two siblings before her she gently kissed her Mum's cheek. She glanced back to look at her Mum and Rob again before walking up the stairs, despite knowing that there was nothing more she could do, there was no way that it was going to stop her from worrying about her Mum.

"Rob?" It was Karen who broke the silence around them for the first time. She had been looking at him and trying to decide what she wanted to say.

"Yes?" He looked towards her. He knew that there was still so much unsaid between them, also that she still had no clothes here. But they would think about that in the morning.

"I don't want to sleep on my own tonight…" She looked at him, knowing that once again she was asking a lot. However she hoped that after last night he would understand, she just needed to feel him close to her.

"Ok…" He nodded towards her and supporting her helped her up the stairs. For the second night in the row Karen fell asleep in his arms. He soothed her and held her until she fell into a deep sleep that she didn't think was possible. However Rob didn't sleep much at all, he couldn't help but watch her. He couldn't stop himself from thinking that he should have kept her safe.


	14. Chapter 14

Apologies for the delay on this chapter. I just want to remind everyone that there is a violent them to this piece. There is also an element of threat.

**Thank you for all the reviews and I hope you keep enjoying.**

**Tasha x**

Chapter 14

Rob watched the light come streaming through the window to his bedroom. He glanced at the clock. He had managed less that two hours of sleep the whole night, and none of that would be described as being restful. Every time he had fallen asleep he had dreamt about Karen. He was always running to save her, and every time he was late. The one positive was that she had slept most of the night, there had been a couple of disturbances, but he had stroked her hair and comforted her until she had fallen back into the sleep she so needed. Being careful not to wake her he got up from the bed and started trying to wake the kids up. He wasn't sure which of them were planning on going into school so he had to wake them all to start with.

"Rob?" He turned round and saw Jess standing in the hallway behind him. It was obvious from her tired expression that she had slept as little as him.

"You ok?" He stepped towards her and rubbed the side of his arm. He looked at her and saw the tears welling in her eyes. He opened his arms and she walked straight into them. Closing them into the hug he rubbed her back as the tears flowed down her face. "It's going to be ok…" He spoke softly, he didn't want to make a scene, and he knew that Jess wouldn't either.

Slowly the tears stopped and she stepped away slightly. "I should have done more…it should never have got to this." Jess felt as guilty as Rob, she had known what was going on between her parents, all of them had. Why hadn't they stopped it?

"You don't have to go in today you know. You could take the day off and take some time out." He gently stroked the side of her arm again. Rob looked at the sixteen year old in front of him. At school people mostly saw her tough exterior, she wasn't good at letting people in, but as soon as someone she loved had been threatened there was a whole new side to Jess, she saw herself as the protector, and she was finding it hard to deal with the idea that she had 'failed.'

"We both know that I do though." She weakly smiled at him. "If we all take the day off then they're going to know something's wrong, and I don't know if I can deal with the rumour mill going round again about us…we need to keep it normal. If the rest of us go in then it's believable that she just had a stomach bug." Jess had spent most of the night thinking about it. There was nothing she wanted more than to curl up on the sofa next to her Mum all day. The last thing she wanted was to leave her, but at the same time she knew that they needed to protect her.

Rob nodded. "It wont be easy though Jess…" He looked at her. He still hadn't decided whether he was going in. He didn't think that he was going to be able to leave Karen, nor did he want to leave her, not yet.

"I know…but I need to do it for her." She felt another tear roll down her face. "I guess I never realised how much I loved her until…" She broke off, there was no way she was going to finish the sentence. Instead she wiped her tears away and walked back towards the room she had shared with Bex. "I'll see you downstairs."

Rob watched her go. Even he could see how much the relationship between Jess and her Mum was improving, even before this they had been closer and Jess had been opening up. He waited for a moment until he was sure that he could hear all of the kids making movements towards getting ready before he headed back to Karen.

"Rob?" Karen was sat up in the bed looking around. She had woken up when the heat beside her disappeared.

Rob walked into the room and saw her sitting in the bed clutching at the duvet cover. "I'm here, I was just waking the kids up." He went and sat next to her on the bed, her forehead was already becoming clammy from where she was worrying, she stroked her hair behind her ears before helping her lie back down. "I'm not going anywhere…" Rob knew that he couldn't leave her. He just hoped that the two of them taking the day off wouldn't cause any suspicions, but when he thought about it again he didn't care. Right then his main priority was Karen, and she needed him more.

"I woke up…and you weren't there, and I thought that I could hear Charlie." Karen looked up at him through wild eyes, she was still halfway through waking up. "Then I thought about yesterday…and I remembered." At this the tears spilled down her cheeks as she recalled the violent events of the night before.

"You're safe now." Rob gently lifted her so he was half cradling her in his arms, she seemed to relax as she felt his body close to hers.

"I can't go in…not today…" She looked up at him, she had been so sure that she would be ok. She would have been able to forget what had happened…she had been so wrong.

"I know that…and I'm staying here with you, all of the kids are going in though, but I know they'll be alright. They know to come straight back if there's any problems." He lent down and gently kissed her forehead. "Now you try and get some more sleep…"

"Don't leave me…" Her hand seemed to tighten on his arm, she couldn't face the idea of being alone, not yet.

"I'm not going anywhere…now relax." He started stroking her hair in what he hoped was a relaxing way, it seemed to work as he could feel her relaxing into his arms. Within ten minutes he felt the weight of her body increase as she had totally relaxed into him and fallen asleep.

"Dad?" Aiden's voice was quiet as he put his head around the door.

Rob looked up at him. "You ok?" His voice was equally quiet, however he knew that Karen had fallen into a deep sleep and they were unlikely to wake her. He found himself still stroking her arm followed by her hair.

"We're going to go…I know it's early but I think the walk and a chat will do everyone some good." Aiden knew that Rob was worried about Karen, and he also knew that the sooner they were out of the house he would be able to focus all of his attention on Karen.

"Alright mate…you know where I am." He looked up at his son. "Promise you'll ring if there's any problems…it doesn't matter how small, I want to know." Rob knew that he was being over-protective, but this was important. He needed peace of mind as well as being able to give it to Karen.

Aiden nodded before shutting the door behind him. Rob listened as he heard the voices. Then the front door opened before shutting. Listening to them go he couldn't help but worry about how they would deal with the day. Then he looked back down at Karen. Even while she was sleeping he could see the worry and pain etched across her face. None of this was going away quickly.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Jess sat in the cooler. She had only managed to stay in two lessons before she had flipped at someone, she had meant to keep her head down…she couldn't even have told you what it was she had got angry at.

The door opened and Chris came in. "I'll take over if you want Grantley?" Rob walked over towards the desk and nodded towards him. Grantley didn't need asking twice and he quickly vacated the room. Chris gently shut the door after him and walked over to where Jess was sat at the desk. "I don't suppose asking you if you're ok would be a great question."

Jess let out a slight laugh. "You could say that…" She looked up towards him. "Why are you here?" She wiped her eyes hoping that her make up hadn't completely smudged.

"I'm worried about you Jess…I know something's wrong." Chris pulled out a chair next to Jess' and sat down on it. "I know you probably don't want to talk…but it might help."

Jess looked at him. "Not yet." It was a lie, there was so much that Chris wanted to talk about but she knew that Chris wasn't the right person, and not only that she didn't know what was going on with her Mum, she needed to protect her.

"I could help you Jess…I mean otherwise you might end up with a strike." Chris knew that there had to be a link between Karen not being in school and Jess' behaviour. Not only that there was a question about the fact that Rob and Karen both had the day off.

"So…" She looked at him. "Why does it matter in the grand scheme of things?" She too had heard rumours about her Mum and Rob being absent. She knew that it was going to happen, she both took so little time off that them both being off on the same day was going to be noticed. The past couple of weeks had opened her eyes to what really mattered…and right now that was her Mum.

"And your Mum…is she ok?" Chris knew that he was pushing and he wasn't sure how Jess was going to react.

"She's fine…" Jess looked up at him. They both knew that she was lying, but there was no way that she was going to give him anything. The last thing they needed was for anyone else to get involved.

"Ok Jess…if you decide that you want to talk then you know where I am…" He stood up from the chair. "I'll be around." He tapped her shoulder before leaving the room and letting the waiting teacher come back into the room.

Jess watched him leave and burst into tears. She knew that she didn't want to talk to Chris…but she did want everything to be ok…she wanted to sort everything out for her Mum.

…

"Jess…Bex…" The all too familiar voice rang across the playground. Jess looked towards her older sister.

"Why's he here?" She turned and could see Harry walking towards them. The confirmed look on his face seemed to confirm that he neither knew why their Father was striding across the playground towards them.

"I don't know…lets stay calm though." Bex looked towards her younger sister, they both knew that she had been unpredictable that day, and the last thing any of them needed was a standing row in the school playground.

Jess nodded. "Just try and get him to go…I want to get home to Mum." She turned towards Harry. "You alright?" She knew that it was a stupid question, none of them were really alright.

He nodded. "Suppose."

"Where have you been?" Charlie stumbled to a halt in front of them, it was quite obvious that he had been drinking, he stood with his legs apart and swaying as he flicked his eyes between his children.

"You've been drinking." Bex was careful to make sure it was a statement and not a question.

"Maybe a little…can you blame me when my families buggered off and left me?" He shrugged his arms in an over dramatic fashion.

"Dad why don't you go home? You can call when you've sobered up a bit and maybe we can sort out something?" Really Bex wanted to shout at her Dad, but she knew how little help it would do. There was nothing more she wanted than for him to be punished for what he had done to their Mum, but she had to believe that it would be sorted out.

"I don't want to wait…" Charlie stumbled forward. "Jess…Harry…you want to see me don't you…You want to see your old Dad." He reached out a hand to touch Jess' arm and she took a step backwards. "Jess?" This time his voice was slightly raised as he questioned his younger daughter.

"No Dad." Jess shook her head. She looked towards Bex and was careful that she said nothing more. This needed to be kept short.

Charlie looked around the group. "I see…that bitch of a mother has poisoned you against me…well it's lies you know." He looked around the playground. "IT'S ALL BLOODY LIES." A number of people were now focusing on the group in the corner, one of them being Chris Mead who was making his way over.

Jess shook her head. "No Dad…she's not…and I don't want you any where near me ever again." There was a certain amount of menace in her tone. Looking at her sister Bex knew that she meant it completely. Of the three of them in had been Jess that had taken what their Dad had done to their Mum the hardest.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that." Charlie stepped forward slapped Jess clumsily across the face and grabbed hold of Jess' hair. He dragged her towards him. "I am your FATHER." He screamed the last word before pulling her to the ground and landing a hard kick into her stomach.

Within seconds Tom and Chris were restraining Charlie and Jess was on the floor with Jess. The alcohol meant that Charlie's hits had more force behind them. Jess' face was bloody and starting to swell, while it was obvious that her stomach was causing her pain. "We need to get you somewhere…" Bex looked at her sister. She knew that Jess wasn't letting on how much pain she was in.

Jess shook her head. "No…I just need to go home…" With some help from Bex she got to her feet, despite trying to steady herself she knew that there was no way she would be able to walk home.

"Bex…" Chris called out to her. "Wait until the police arrive and then we can take you home…"

"No need." Aiden was running over. He had been in the common room doing some extra work, coming out of the school he had seen the scuffle. Gently he picked Jess up in his arms and carried her towards where his car was parked. "Tell me if I hurt you." He looked down at her.

She weakly smiled. "I'm not going to lie…some paracetamol would go down a treat." She gently laughed before wincing.

Aiden nodded. He checked that Bex and Harry were following. "Let's get back to mine." He watched them all nod as they arrived next to his car.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Aiden passed the key to Bex who opened the front door. He was still holding Jess in his arms, as the front door opened he tried to make sure that his steps were small and smooth. He didn't want to cause her any more pain.

Rob stepped out of the living room. He took one look at the battered girl his son was carrying before rushing back into the living room to completely clear a sofa. "What the hell happened?"

Bex was the first to speak. "Dad…" She didn't need to say anymore. Rob simply nodded before helping Aiden to get Jess comfortable. Once she was he gave some quick orders for what they needed to sort the cut out. He then sent Bex up to see Karen and tell her, they had decided that it wasn't fair to let Karen find out any other way. Jess was her daughter.

"Can I look at your stomach?" Rob looked towards Jess, he knew that it was going to be hard, he had only been around helping her Mum, and not for that long. So he was slightly surprised when Jess nodded straight away. He had been expecting some more resistance.

"It looks worse than it is…" Jess tried to protest before Rob saw the state she was in. She knew that it wasn't true but she needed to try and reassure herself as well as him.

Rob nodded. "You can't always protect your Mum you know Jess…" He knew why Jess was protesting, and he did understand. She wanted to protect her Mum, but he was pretty sure that this counted of a situation where Jess needed to be the child and be looked after.

"I can try…" There were tears in Jess' eyes as she thought about her Mum. "I should have stopped it…I should have stopped him…" She slowly lifted a hand to wipe the escaping tears from her eyes.

"None of this is your fault Jess…I can't explain what your Dad did…but it happened…and God it's horrible…but you couldn't have changed it." He gently ran a hand over the area that seemed most bruised of her stomach.

Jess winced at the slightest touch. She looked up at him. "I know that you make her feel safe…and that's good enough for me." She smiled at him.

"Thankyou…" Rob looked at her stomach again. "I don't know what to do Jess…it's really bruised and there's a chance that there's some more damage inside."

"You're telling me that I should go to hospital?" She looked at him. Deep down she had known that it was always a possibility. Rob was first aid trained, but not medically trained. There was no way he would be able to tell if anything major was wrong.

"I would rather be safe than sorry…you have taken quite a beating." He replaced her top and ran a hand down the side of her face. "I should have been there…" Rob had questioned so hard whether he should have gone into school that day.

"You had to stay with Mum…and if I'm not allowed to feel guilty then neither are you…they've arrested him now…" She broke off as she saw her Mum come into the room. There was no way to describe the way Karen looked apart from awful. The bruises had all severely blackened and her face way swollen.

"Jess…" The small word escaped her lips. She didn't want to believe the state Jess was in, or that Charlie had done it to her.

"It's alright Mum…they're just bruises." Jess gently lifted herself on the sofa. She tried not to wince but there was nothing she could do about it, a large part of her body was screaming with every movement she made.

"Did he…" She sat down next to her daughter and stroked a hand down the side of her face. Karen didn't want to believe what she was seeing…her daughter had been beaten by her father.

"It's ok." Jess looked towards her Mum. "This isn't your fault." Jess was firmer on the second sentence. The last thing she wanted was for her Mum to start blaming herself for this, and she knew that she would be likely to do that. "This was Dad, and Dad alone. No one else influenced him…he made the decision to strike out." Jess had been thinking in the car on the way back…even when she knew that he had been abusing her Mum there had been something in the back of her mind about him being her Dad no matter what. Now it seemed as though an invisible string had been cut. She felt that she no longer owed him anything.

"I should have been there…" Karen felt a tear swell in the corner of her eye. "I'm your Mum…" As she lent forward she felt a pain shoot through her. She was unable to stop the pain showing across her face.

"Don't Mum…don't do that." Jess looked at her. "You're still hurt, and this was going to happen whether you were there or not."

Karen shook her head. "I'm meant to protect you." She felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"Stop it…" Jess felt herself start to cry. She looked towards her Mum. "Please…" She knew that she couldn't cope with her Mum blaming herself for this. "Dad did this…all of this…"

Karen looked at her youngest daughter. In her heart she knew that she was right, and that there was no way Karen could have physically done anything to change what had happened, but that wasn't going to make her guilt disappear. Slowly Karen nodded. "Ok…" She looked towards Rob. "Does she need to be checked over?"

Rob looked at Jess. Despite being hurt her colour seemed ok. "I think she should be alright, but I'm going to keep an eye, and if something changes then we'll take you to A and E. Is that ok?"

Jess nodded. "Sounds good." She tried to manoevre herself into a more comfortable position on the sofa. "So how about a film and take away then?" She winked towards her Mum.

Rob smiled at her. "Sounds like a plan. I'll get the menus and shout everyone else."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Every time Karen tried to shut her eyes his face was there. She had tried so hard to blank it, but with Jess being hurt everything had come back worse. She could feel his breath on her skin and smell his alcohol laced odour. She tossed and turned trying to wake herself from the nightmare. She could feel him ripping at her clothes and skin. "STOP…" She screaming and thrashed before suddenly finding her eyes staring up at Rob.

"I've got you…" Rob gently cupped her face so she was looking straight into his eyes. She could see how worried he was by the deepened blue. Slowly the tension began to leave her body.

"Don't leave me…" The tears started spilling down her face, she had never felt so weak in her life, but she didn't know what she would do without having Rob by her side.

"I'm not going anywhere." Rob gently stroked her hair before helping her so she was curled up safely against his chest. He started rubbing her back in a circular motion he knew that she found soothing. "I'm not going anywhere Karen…I'm right beside you." He gently calmed her as she gently fell into a more peaceful sleep.

…

Rob sat in the clinical white hospital seat. He had always hated hospitals. He knew that he wasn't the only person in the world, it just seemed to him that he only ever ended up in hospitals at the lowest points in his life. He looked at the woman sitting next to him. So this time it wasn't completely true, his life seemed ok, but he knew for a fact that this was the lowest point in Karen's life, and that hurt him. He wanted so much to be able to change it…he wanted to take away the pain.

"I'm scared Rob…" Karen looked at him. She had taken a phone call that morning from the hospital calling her in to discuss some results from her blood tests, she had no idea what they could be, and the nurse wasn't willing to discuss them over the phone. So now she sat on a hard plastic chair waiting for her name to be called. Every passing minute made her want more and more to be able to stand up and walk out. She wanted to walk away from this part of her life.

"It'll be ok." He reached over and took one of her shaking hands. "All of this will be ok." He looked at her beautiful face and wished he could take away the pain that lined it.

"Karen Fisher." A short nurse opened one of the doors and called the name.

Rob went to let go of Karen's hand but felt her grip tighten. He hadn't been sure whether she wanted him to go in with her, but it seemed that she had answered that question without speaking. Rob didn't argue instead he kept hold of Karen's hand and walked with her into the open door of the treatment room.

"Karen my name in Dr Greene." The female doctor stood up from behind her desk and motioned them towards the two simple chairs facing them.

Karen nodded. "I don't know why I'm here." She temporarily let go of Rob's hand as she sat on the chair, but as soon as they were both seated she took it once more.

The doctor nodded. "I thought that might be the case." She spread two sets of case notes apart before looking up at Karen. "We've had the blood test results back from when you were in A and E." She paused before looking at Karen and then at Rob.

Karen knew what she was thinking. "He can stay…what is it." The more this went on the more she was beginning to panic, she started thinking about her children. What is they had found something incurable…she couldn't leave them now…

"Karen, the blood test came back confirming that you are pregnant."

Karen heard the words come out of the doctors mouth, but she didn't take them in. She twirled them around her head trying to make sense out of them. They weren't meant for her. They couldn't be meant for her. She saw the doctors mouth moving but she didn't hear anything. She could see that she was still grasping Rob's hand, but she didn't feel a thing.

"Karen…" Rob could see that Karen was breaking down in front of his eyes. Gently he took her face and turned her so she was looking at him. He saw the panic and fear in her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere sweetheart." He spoke as if it was only the two of them in the simple room.

Karen couldn't block out Rob's words. She didn't understand why he was still there. Surely he should have been half way out of the hospital by then. "I can't…I don't…" No matter how many she tried to start the sentence there was no way it was going to form in the air.

Rob realised that he needed to do the talking for her. "This had been a shock doctor…she needs time to think." He helped Karen up from the chair. He nodded towards the doctor. "We'll be in touch." With that he took Karen gently by the hand and supporting one arm he led her from the room and towards the car he had driven from the hospital.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Karen sat in the front of the car with tears silently streaming down her face. She didn't know where they were, and even when Rob had pulled the car into the drive and stopped it there was no movement.

"Karen…we need to get you inside." He had been watching her through the journey and knew that there was no point in trying to talk about what had happened. She needed time, and she needed sleep. He hoped that she knew he wasn't going to leave her…but whether she did or not he couldn't change it now.

She looked at him, no matter how hard she tried the tears wouldn't stop, the endless flow down her face had made her voice completely raw and her eyes were beginning to close. "I can't do this anymore Rob…" She looked at him, she had spent so many years trying to be strong for her kids, but she could barely look after herself at the minute.

"You don't have to do anything…all you need to do tonight is come inside and get some sleep." He wanted to tell her that everything would look better in the morning, but he knew that it wouldn't be true. He gently lent forward and with one hand on the side of her face he gently kissed her forehead. "I meant what I said Karen, I'm not going anywhere." He didn't wait for an answer, he didn't need one. All Rob needed was for Karen to know that he was going to be there for her through all of this.

Karen gently undid her seat belt. Rob had opened her door. She didn't fight him as he gently lifted her out. There was something about the feeling of his arms around her that made everything seem ok. The feeling only lasted seconds, but for those few seconds she was safe, and there was nothing to worry about in the world. "Why…" She didn't know how to finish the sentence, it wasn't just one thing he had done for her. She was staying at his with her three children, he had supported all of them and taken them in. HE had been her emotional and physical rock, and not once had he tried to push for anything. Where was she meant to start. Instead she felt a tear slide down her cheek.

"I don't need a reason." He answered her quietly and simply before slipping one arm around her waist and the other holding her other hand. Slowly they made their way to the front door. Rob didn't stop once he had the door open. Instead he helped Karen up the stairs and straight into his room.

…

Karen lay awake watching the occasional light from car head lamps flash across the ceiling. Despite Rob's best efforts she was still wide awake. Not that she was surprised by this, the initial shock had worn off and now she found her head spinning with the choices she now faced. Not that they were difficult in her mind, she knew that she couldn't keep the baby. She would try her hardest to love it, but she was scared that she would always see the way it had been conceived…she couldn't face the idea that she might blame her own child for what had happened between her and Charlie. She turned over in the bed to face the man sleeping next to her. Like every other night she had stayed Rob had tried to sleep on the sofa, but the same as every other time she had persuaded him to stay with her…

"Rob…" She looked at the time, it was 4am and she knew that she shouldn't have been waking him, but she needed to tell him, she needed to talk to him.

"Mmm…" Usually Rob was such a deep sleeper that it took fifteen minutes of the alarm and two large coffees to wake him up, but he too had been worrying, and while he had managed to drift off it was no where near the deep sleep he was used to. Opening his eyes he found Karen facing him. He pushed himself up on to his elbow. "I didn't mean to fall asleep." He looked into her tired eyes and knew straight away that she had been no where sleeping.

"Don't be silly…you needed some." She reached out a hand and stroked the side of him face. She hated to think about it but she was starting to realise that she wouldn't be able to wake up next to him forever. "I've been thinking…" As soon as se said it she wanted to slap herself, of course she had been thinking, she had been doing nothing but thinking.

Rob nodded. "Anything is particular?" He knew that Karen had some big decisions to make, and he hoped that she may have been able to come closer to answered some of the questions.

"I can't keep this baby…" Her voice broke on the final word. She didn't want to acknowledge the child growing inside of her, as soon as she did it became more painful, but she had too. "Will you come with me…" She looked at him and knew that he understood her.

"I said I would be there for you Karen…and I meant it, no matter what it is I will be right beside you." He paused , "Until you don't want me there any more." He had to face that it might happen sooner rather than later.

"I wish that I was brave enough to do it on my own…" She didn't even want to look down at her own body, she was too scared that something would change her mind. She didn't want to think about any of this. She had made her decision, and now she would stick to it.

"You shouldn't have to do any of this alone Karen…" He looked towards her and into the blue eyes that captivated him. He wanted nothing more that to sweep her from her feet and carry her off into the sunset. He would treasure her every move and make sure she was always safe. He let out an inward sigh, for the time being that wasn't in the picture, and he wasn't about to break the trust she had in him. "Do you want me to phone up for you?"

Karen shook her head. "I need to do this…but I'm going to try and get the appointment for tomorrow." She looked towards him. "I need this to be over…I want to get on with my life." She looked towards Rob, both of them knew that having an abortion wouldn't be the end of this. She knew that there would be demons she would have to face, as well as other things. She would still have to face Charlie in court as well as picking up the pieces. She had to support her children through the messy divorce that was around the corner.

"Ok." He nodded towards her before reaching out a hand and stroking a stray piece of hair back behind her ear. "I know it's hard…but I know you would feel better after some sleep." He gently ran a hand down her arm in what he hoped was a soothing motion.

Karen nodded. "Don't leave me." As she said the last word she felt herself let out a yawn she hadn't known she was holding.

"Never…" He watched as she settled down into the bed and her body began to relax. He found it amazing that as he watched some of the tension had left her body and face, looking down he realised that she was still holding his hand, and while the rest of her body had relaxed she was still holding tight. Gently he lifted her hand to his lips before gently kissing it. "Sweet dreams Karen."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Karen stretched out as her eyes flickered open. The sun was beaming through the blinds. She gently rolled over and reached out a hand, she had already know that Rob wasn't beside her. She missed the warmth of his body next to hers. As she gently pushed her body up from the bed she watched Rob walk into the room. He carried a tray with two pieces of toast and a cup of tea. Next to the tea lay a phone and a directory. Rob gently put the breakfast next to Karen before laying the phone and directory next to her on the bed. "I understand if I've read this all wrong…I just thought you would want to try them." He didn't want to say anymore. He wanted to be able to make everything better, and while he knew that he couldn't he had to try doing something to help her.

"Thanks…" Karen smiled at him before gently picking up the cup of tea. "I never meant to get you so involved Rob…" She looked at the man who was the only thing keeping her world from falling apart. Without him she wasn't sure where she would be.

"You don't need to keep saying thank you Karen. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to." He sat down next to her on the bed and gently placed his hand on top of hers. He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable, he just wanted her to know that he was close and he was staying there for her.

Karen nodded. She looked down at the phone. "Half of me expected to wake up this morning and have completely changed my mind about everything." She glanced down towards her stomach. While she didn't want to, there was part of her that knew she needed to acknowledge what she was going to do…

Rob nodded. "That would have been understandable, whatever you choose will be a huge decision." Rob was in no way underestimating the decision that Karen was going to have to make.

…

Tossing in her sleep Jess couldn't get her Dad's face from her mind. He was following her…he wouldn't leave her alone. "Muuummmmmmmmmmmmmmm." The scream was ripped from her lips as she woke up in tears. Karen ran into her room and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I've got you darling…I've got you." Karen gently rubbed Jess' back as the sobs wracked her body. Slowly they became gentler, slowly she calmed down into her Mum's arms. "Are you ok?" Karen gently eased Jess backwards so she could look at her.

Jess sobbed and looked towards her Mum. It was the first time they had been in a proper hug for some time. Slowly Jess started looking down. She knew that her Mum had always had a flat stomach. It was something that had always amazed her. She looked again at the usually flat stomach. There was no doubting the small curve present there. "You're pregnant…" It wasn't a question, Jess knew that it was true.

Karen looked at her youngest daughter, she didn't know how to answer her. She looked into Jess' eyes. "I'm sorry darling…" Her voice broke on the last word. "I couldn't…I didn't know how to…"

Jess shook her head. "Is it…." She didn't want to say it, she didn't want to acknowledge it.

Karen slowly nodded. She wanted to speak but all of the words choked in her throat.

Jess nodded. Her mind felt as though it was filled with cotton wool. There was one thought that she couldn't get from her mind. "Are you keeping it?" She looked at her Mum, through her whole life she had been the strongest woman she had known, and even when they had fallen out she was always excited that she was able to call her Mum.

Karen shook her head. "I can't…" Karen wanted to be able to tell Jess that everything was going to be ok, she wanted to make everything better, but she knew that it was impossible.

Jess nodded. "Good…" She looked at her. "I don't mean that…well I guess I do…we need to get away from him Mum…we need to get our own lives back." She hadn't realised that the tears had started streaming down her face again. "I don't want you to be hurt any more…"

Karen looked at her daughter. It amazed her how much she had grown up without her noticing. "We will get through this Jess…all of it." She pulled Jess in again for a hug and held her close. "I promise."

…

Karen sat looking at the phone. She didn't hear Rob behind her, yet she relaxed straight away as he began to rub her shoulders.

"I heard you finish on the phone." He hadn't been listening, but he had been aware when she had finished, and he was also aware that she might have needed him.

Karen nodded. "They've managed to get me in this afternoon." She looked up at Rob. "I know what you said about coming with me…but I'll understand if you can't…I've already asked too much of you."

Rob shook his head. "I meant every word Karen, I am going to be right by your side until you tell me to go." He pulled out a chair next to hers and took both of her hands in his. "I'm not going to let you down…"

Karen nodded. "I guess I'm just so used to…" She looked at the man in front of her, over the past weeks he had seen her at her most vulnerable, yet he hadn't made a single move…for the first time in years she felt completely safe with a man.

"I'm not him…" They were three simple words but they seemed to cover everything, Karen nodded.

"So this afternoon." She took a deep breath, a single tear slid down her cheek. She wasn't sure whether she was upset or scared, but either way she knew that having Rob beside her was more than she could have asked for.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Karen sat in the passenger seat of Rob's car. After an awful lot of persuading she had eventually persuaded Jess to go to school with the others. She knew that Jess hadn't been happy about it, but Karen needed to know that she was there. The last thing she needed was to Jess see her when the appointment became even closer. She had barely spoken for the last hour, and anything she had eaten had been thrown straight back up again. Now she sat in the passenger seat staring at the building in front of her.

"This is still your decision Karen…which ever way." Rob's soothing voice cut across her thoughts. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She felt as though she didn't deserve his kindness, neither did she understand why he was still there after how much of a nightmare she felt that she had caused him.

"I need to do this, I just need a minute." She looked at him and tried to muster a smile before it quickly faded away. She wasn't sat there debating whether or not to go through with the abortion. She was wondering what was going to happen afterwards. She knew that this was only the start of a long journey, and that at some point she would have to face the emotions she was bottling about what she was about to do.

"I just don't want you to regret anything." His hand came across and gently squeezed her knee. Had it been anyone else that close to her Karen knew that she would have jumped a mile by now, but there was something about him that made her feel safe, when he was around it was as though no one else could hurt her.

"I know, but I need to do this for me…" She looked at him and lifted a hand to cup his cheek. "I understand if you want to go…I've already asked too much of you." She let her hand drop only for Rob to take both of her own cheeks between his hands.

"I'm here until you say so…I meant it Karen." There was nothing he wanted more than to be able to lean forward and kiss her, but he knew he couldn't. She trusted him with everything, and there was no way he was going to break that trust. He cared about her too much.

Karen nodded. "Ok…" She slowly picked her bag up before looking back at him. "I'm ready." She pushed open the door and slowly got out of the car.

Rob walked around and held it open before grabbing her bag from the boot. It was meant to be a straight forward procedure, but she had been asked to bring an overnight bag in case there were any complications. Without thinking about it Rob put the bag over his left shoulder and then took Karen's hand in his before giving it a gentle squeeze.

…

"Karen Fisher." The voice rang around the surgery waiting room, what had only been fifteen minutes had felt like hours having to wait there for her name to be called. Karen wanted everything to be over and to stop dragging out. So it was mainly relief she felt coursing through her body as she stood and motioned to Rob to come with her through the double doors.

Rob had sat watching what he assumed to be couples going through the double doors, so he knew there would be no question about him going through with Karen. He imagined that as far as anyone else at the clinic was concerned he was Karen's partner. Suddenly a hand came from in front of him to grab his. He could feel Karen's body shaking. He squeezed gently again, he wanted her to know that he wasn't going anywhere.

They were invited through into a clinical looking room with a doctor and a nurse. It automatically made Rob think of a dentist surgery. Normally he would have hated it with a passion, but he was starting to realise that he would do pretty much anything for Karen, anything that would help her start to get better.

…

After listening to the doctor explain the procedure Karen was feeling sick, she had always known the theory behind an abortion but hearing someone explain what was going to happen had make everything seem real, she didn't want to have to think about what she was about to do, but she knew that she had to face up to it now, or risk it become another skeleton in her closet.

"So Karen if you want to go and change into the robe then we can get started." The doctor spoke in a friendly tone, but it didn't matter, everything about the place was making her feel sick to the core, she would have liked nothing more than to have run straight out and never have to come back, but she knew she had to do this if she wanted any chance of having a life after Charlie. She nodded at him and took the pile. Then she looked towards Rob. "See you in a minute." She wanted to ask him to go with her, but it was too much.

Rob sat and waited until Karen came back out in the surgical gown. He looked at her unsure of whether to smile or not. He felt a small one break across his face. It wasn't a grin, more a smile of reassurance. That it was nearly done.

…

Lying in the surgical bed Karen looked straight into Rob's eyes and focused directly on them. He lent down and kissed her forehead as the procedure began, then he started gently stroking through her hair hoping she was finding it calming. Her grip on his hand became tighter and she felt a stray tear roll down her cheek.

Rob gently wiped it away before giving her another kiss and whispering into her ear. "I'm not going anywhere…" He wanted to say so much more, but it wasn't the time, and right now she needed him to be there as a support.

She gently nodded. There was no pain as the doctor had promised, but everything about the procedure seemed wrong. She knew that she was at risk of more tears, and that was the last thing she needed. So again she looked straight at Rob and focused on him, she wanted to memorise each of his perfect features.

Not once did Rob's eyes stray away from Karen, he was completely focused on her and making sure that she was ok. Anything going on around them was no concern to him. He was here to protect her and that was what he was going to do. He felt her hand tighten around his and that was fine. Her body was starting to shake so he raised his other hand to her cheek and gently stroked to make sure her focus was on him and not the procedure going on. He could see Karen trying desperately to fight the tears, and for the time being he let her, he knew that they would come later when they were alone, but for the time being she seemed determined to be strong.

Karen felt the relief coarse through her body as the doctor moved backwards and announced that they were done. He gently let Karen's legs down and beckoned to the nurse who got her ready to be moved into the recovery ward.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Karen opened her eyes and tried lifting her head from the familiar pillow. Even the slight movement she made turned her stomach and she felt herself starting to retch. Suddenly she felt Rob beside her stroking her back and gently putting an old washing up bowl below her. She could feel from her stomach that there was nothing left to vomit, and this was confirmed as the final bits of bile came into her mouth. She quickly spat them into the bowl before trying to wipe away the tears coursing down her cheeks. Yet they were coming faster than she could wipe.

"Stop…" Rob's voice was gentle and calming, there was no malice in his word. Instead he leant her back into his arms and started rubbing her aching body in an attempt to calm her down. He stroked the damp hair back from her face before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Sorry…" The word finished with a gulp from the tears. She looked into his soft eyes and couldn't help but wonder why he was still there with her. After the procedure he had bought her home and nursed her. A mixture of the anaesthetic and stress she had been through had meant a nasty reaction and Karen hadn't left the bedroom for 48 hours. She had barely been awake.

"Don't ever apologise for this darling…not ever." He slowed the pace he was rubbing her back as he heard her retching subside. Gently he took the bowl away and helped her into a more comfortable position on the bed. He wiped away the tears from her cheeks with his finger before taking one of her shaking hands in his.

The sensitive actions made Karen cry even harder. For so many years she had been facing all the pain in her life on her own. For Rob to have done half of these things to look after her was making her heart ache. Looking around and seeing the clock she realised that she had been asleep for nearly two days. She was sure that if her stomach hadn't been complaining so hard about the anaesthetic that had been pumped into her body that the growls of hunger would have been rolling around the room as well. Then something stirred in her mind that made her ask another question. "The kids?" She had realised that the house was quiet, and the time on the clock meant that they were in the middle of the school day.

"I managed to persuade Harry and Jess that they needed to be in school." He smiled at her.

Karen opened her mouth again to ask another question but it was quickly covered by a yawn that she couldn't prevent escaping. She gently shook her head. She had already been off school for three days, and she hated the fact that she was sure they would all be talking about her absence.

"School think that you've got a stomach bug, and they all know that you're staying with me…so naturally they're all assuming that I've picked it up from you and we're currently both out of action…and of course. I'm not going to put them right on that one." He gently got up from sitting next to her on the bed and filled her water glass from the sink in the en-suite. "So darling all you need to worry about is looking after you…no worrying about school or the kids. We need to focus on you first and then we can start thinking about other people."

Weakly Karen nodded as she felt her eyelids start to close again. Her body was screaming at her that it needed more sleep, and she felt too weak to argue. Instead she let Rob help her further down into the bed and slowly she drifted off into a deep sleep, but not before he had taken one of her hands and was gently rubbing it in a motion to help send her off to sleep.

Rob sat gently holding Karen until she fell back into her sleep. He waited until he felt her body relax under him and she was sure that she was fast asleep before he moved. It had been so hard to get her any sleep recently that he wanted to make sure he wasn't going to wake her. Even when he did move it was only to another chair. Despite Karen not wanting to admit it, he knew that she had been having nightmares. She kept waking up screaming out during the night. The first couple of times Jess had come running in as well. Rob had managed to calm and soothe Karen before convincing Jess to get some sleep as well. He couldn't imagine what the teenager was going through at the minute, but he did know that Karen would want them all to try and keep going with their normal lives for as long as possible.

Rob couldn't help but be amazed about how Karen's kids were dealing with everything. They had all left their home behind, the Jess he saw when they were eating dinner was a completely different girl to the one she wanted people to see her as at school. He could see how much she was hurting about everything and he knew how hard she found it having him around looking after her Mum. They had talked about it and Rob knew that Jess felt she had let her Mum down by not being able to completely look after her Mum on her own.

Rob sat watching Karen sleep. He knew that part of him felt like they had to look at the future and what was going to happen, but at the minute he needed to make sure that Karen was ok. It he could try and be there even a small amount through this then that was everything he would do. He knew though that they would both have to be back in school before the end of the week. There was no way they could stay out any longer without there being too many questions, but as he watched Karen sleeping he promised himself that he would always be there for her until she said she didn't want him there anymore.


End file.
